The invention relates to air purification equipment which is designed to remove airborne particulate material and at the same time kill airborne microorganisms, including viruses.
Modern techniques and standards in operations involving food handling and the manufacture of many products require a clean air environment. Elaborate and expensive equipment is available to produce clean air, but the cost and inconvenience of installation is prohibitive in many instances where the demand for cleanliness is the greatest. The efficiency and effectiveness of the available equipment leaves much to be desired and discourages use where the equipment might otherwise be employed.
It is particularly important in food handling enviroments to reduce airborne microorganisms. Contamination and spoilage of meats and other perishable food products cause large wastage and produce consumer dissatisfaction. The reduction of airborne microorganisms and maintenance at acceptable levels extends the shelflife of perishable products and assures the consumer of a quality product.
Bacteria which produce food spoilage and disease are typically no larger than 1/50,000 of an inch. A cubic inch of space would hold 10 trillion medium-sized bacteria, or as many as there are stars in 100,000 galaxies. Cocci range from 0.4 micron to 2 microns in diameter. The smallest bacillus is approximately 0.5 micron in length and 0.2 in diameter. The largest pathogenic bacilli are seldom greater than 1 micron in diameter and 3 microns in length. The average diameter and length of pathogenic bacilli are 0.5 micron and 2 microns, respectively. Different species of bacteria vary in size, and there is some variation within a species, but, as a rule, the size of each species is fairly constant.